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Blackwater Buys Brazilian Bombers

strategypage.com (2007-08-27)

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Media Link: http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20070827.aspx
More Info: Blackwater

August 27, 2007: Security company Blackwater U.S.A. is buying Super Tucano light combat aircraft from the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. These five ton, single engine, single seat aircraft are built for pilot training, but also perform quite well for counter-insurgency work. Brazil. The Super Tucano is basically a prop driven trainer that is equipped for combat missions. The aircraft can carry up to 1.5 tons of weapons, including 12.7mm machine-guns, bombs and missiles. The aircraft cruises at about 500 kilometers an hour and can stay in the air for about 6.5 hours per sortie. One of the options is a FLIR (infrared radar that produces a photo realistic video image in any weather) and a fire control system for bombing. Colombia is using the Super Tucanos for counter-insurgency work (there are over 20,000 armed rebels and drug gang gunmen in the country). The aircraft is also used for border patrol. The U.S. Air Force is watching that quite closely. The Super Tucano costs $9 million each, and come in one or two seat versions. The bubble canopy provides excellent visibility. This, coupled with its slow speed (versus jets), makes it an excellent ground attack aircraft.

Blackwater already has a force of armed helicopters in Iraq, and apparently wants something a little faster, and more heavily armed, to fulfill its security contracts overseas. Initially, Blackwater is getting one two-seater, for pilot training in the United States.


  • Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, also named ALX or A-29 is a turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter insurgency (COIN) and pilot training missions, incorporating modern avionics and weapons systems.:
    EMB_314_2.jpg

Media Form edit

Title Blackwater Buys Brazilian Bombers
Publisher strategypage.com
Author
Pub Date 2007-08-27
Media Link http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20070827.aspx
Note
Keywords Blackwater
Media Type Linked Article
Curator Rating Highlighted
Book ISBN
Author Name Sortable
I Attachment Action Size Date Who Comment
EMB_314_2.jpgjpg EMB_314_2.jpg manage 18 K 26 Jun 2014 - 21:20 Raymond Lutz Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, also named ALX or A-29 is a turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter insurgency (COIN) and pilot training missions, incorporating modern avionics and weapons systems.
Topic revision: r5 - 11 Mar 2015, RaymondLutz
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